Mark and I spent nearly two years saving for our small, simple wedding. His wealthy sister Julia constantly criticized our choices and acted superior. On the wedding day, she wore a flashy red dress, grabbed attention all night, ordered expensive champagne on our tab, and publicly gave us a thick burgundy envelope, telling us not to deny ourselves anything.
Later, opening gifts at the hotel, we discovered her envelope was completely empty—just a postcard saying “live beautifully.” Mark hoped it was a mistake, but I knew it was intentional, so I kept the envelope.
Two months later, Julia hosted an upscale birthday dinner and demanded cash gifts. I brought the same envelope, returned it to her with her original card, and explained we were giving back exactly what she gave us. She was furious and accused us of embarrassing her. We calmly walked out together, finally standing up for ourselves and our marriage.